Valve mechanism for steamboat-engines.



R. EATON. VALVE MEGHANISM FOR STEAMBOAT ENGINES.

,APPLIGATION FILED AUG.19, 19m. A

Patented Nov. 22, 1910.

, 3 BHEETB-SEEET l.

LSAT-orf'. VALVE MBUHANISM 'FOR y STEAMBOAT ENGINES.

-APPLIoAfrIoN FILED AUG. 19, 1910.

Patented Nov. 22, 1910.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

R w m .M i0@ w i@ 6a Q M Q o... o. uw NN ll. i mw Npr Bf .Bf b r mm O DD 0 O DD O O BD O 0 .nu O W ww. o Q o o o o w o y M 4r, I nu o un ,QN e N\\ N Mw mw m ww M2 S oo u. w ww o o m Q. Q o o o o o. o o NNQ o E NIJJE lH Ldur nu i TH: Nalems PETERS co.. wasn/Nauw. o4 c. w

R. BATON. VALVE MEGHANISM POR STEAMBOAT ENGINES.

APPLIOAION FILED AUGJQ, 1910.

Patented Nov. 22, 191D.

a SHEETS-SHEET a.

@Ittowsy ROBERT EATON, OF LAKE CITY, MINNESOTA.

VALVE MECHANISM FOR STEAMIBOAT-ENGINES.

armoe.

Specification-of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 22, 1910.

Application filed August 19, 1910. Serial No. 577,984.

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ROBERT EATON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Lake City, in the county of VVabasha and State of Minnesota, have invented new and useful Improvements in Valve Mechanism for Steamboat-Engines, of which vthe following is a specication.

This invention relates to valve mechanisms especially adapted for steam boat engines such, for instance, as that disclosed in U. S. Letters Patent No. 694,057.

The invention has for one of its objects to provide a novel valve mechanism by which the steam valves are actuated by means connected with the pitman or connecting rod of the engine.

Another object of the invention is to improve and simplify the construction and operation of valve operating mechanisms of this character so as to be comparatively simple and inexpensive to manufacture, reliable and efficient in use and readily adapted for variable cut-off, valves.

lVith these objects in view, and others as will appear as the description proceeds, the invention comprises the various novel features of construction and arrangement of part-s which will be more fully described hereinafter and set forth with particularity in the claims appended hereto.

In the accompanying drawings, which illustrate one embodiment of the invention z-Figure 1 is a side view of a portion of a steam boat engine showing the improved valve operating mechanism applied thereto. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the said mechanism drawn on an enlarged scale. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the operating mechanism. Fig. 4 is a diagrammatic view illustrating the manner of transmitting motion to the mechanism from the pitman or connecting rod of the engine.

Similar reference characters are employed to designate corresponding parts throughout the several views.

Referring to the drawings, A designates the bed of the engine on which is mounted a horizontal cylinder 1 having main and cutoff valve chests 2 and 3, respectively, in which are the usual piston valves controlling the admission and exhaust of steam. Extending through the stuffing box 4 is the piston rod 5 that is connected by the cross head 6 with the pitman 7 or connecting rod, the said cross head reciprocating in horizontal guides 8 on the bed of the engine. The main valves of the engine are connected with a longitudinally movable valve rod or stem 9 that is adapted to be reciprocated by the pitman through the operating mechanism that constitutes the subject matter of the present invention. This operating mechanism includes a horizontal rock shaft 10 mounted in bearings or standards 11 on the bed A, and on the ends of this shaft are fastened arms 12 and 13, which cause the said shaft to rock and also prevent longitudinal movement of the latter by the hubs of the arms engaging the bearings 11. Extending from one arm to the other and secured to the outer ends thereof is a floating shaft 14 that is disposed parallel with the rock shaft 10 and also parallel with the pitman 7. Mounted for reciprocation on this shaft 14 is a connecting element or slide, designated generally by B, the same being in the form of a yoke having tubular bearings 15 through which the shaft 14 extends, and at the bottom of the yoke, is a bearing 16 in which is disposed a pivot 17 fastened on the pitman at a point inwardly from where the latter connects with the crosshead 6. The bearings 15 and`16 are made in separable parts so that the connecting device B can be taken 0H when required for inspection or repair.

As the pitman moves back and forth, it

constantly changes its angular position with respect to the line of movement of the piston rod since the opposite end of the pitman travels in the path of a circle, and since the pivot 17 is eccentric to the cross head, the connecting device B will rise and fall with the pitman, and hence moves the floating shaft 14 up and down while the device B reciprocates on the latter. The lever 13 has an outwardly extending arm 18 which is connected by a. link 19 with a bell crank lever 20, fulcrumed at 21 on the bed of the engine. This bell crank lever is adapted to actuate the valve rod 9 by a longitudinally movable rod 22 connected with the upwardly-extending arm of the lever, and on this rod is a double fork 23 which is connected by an open link 24 with the rocker,

4, which isa diagrammatic view the control of the operator, point of connection betweenthe rod 22 and link 24 can be changed and the direction of the propulsion changed. p The open link 24 is composed of two-members a andb connected together in spaced relation'zby bolts c which attach the open 'link to the rocker V25 onthe shaft 26, and the rod 22 members a and Z).

As the pitman moves back and forthwith ythe reciprocation of-;.thepiston in the cylinder l, thefloating.. shaftl4will rise .and fall and-thusl causel the shafty l0, thatY is rigidly connected withtthe; shaftv 14, to rock. This rocking movement ,oscillates the bell crank lever 2Q thatin yturn operates through the rod;22,.the reversble'device 23, link 24, and the rocker-25torock the shaft 26f.tl1at,in turn, reciprocates themain valves of the engine. VThe means forv operating` the vvalves inlthe chests neednot here be described, since they forni no part of the present; in-` vention.

YThe movement o f the floating shaft 14 will be best; understood by, reference to lFig.

of` the pitman, the latter being shown in different positions in the revolutionof the crank pin Z of t-he engine.A wWhenthe crank pin ison either dead center, the floating shaftr 14 is in its central position, but w-henA thegcrank pin moves from either dead center, thefloating shaft will movezupwardly or downwardlyj in an arcl of; a circle concentric with therock shaft 10, and the pivot 17 between the pitman and connecting devices B will travel in a relat-ively flat elliptical path `as` indicated bythe dotted line 6., The pivot 17 is located directly in the longitudinal center line of the pitman, and hencecauses a true-valve motion.

From the foregoingdescriptiontaken in connect-ion with the accompanying drawings, the advantages ofthe construction and of the method of ;operation will be, readily extendsbetween the apparent to those skilled in the art tov which theinventon relates, and while I have described the principle-ofy operation ofthe 1nvention, together withl the device which I nowv consider to be the best embodiment thereofI desire to;have itunderstoo.d that the device showny is merely illustrative and that'such changes may bevmade when desiredas are within thescope lof the claims.

WhatgI claim as new anddesirefto secure by Letters Patent is Y rl. In an engine, the combinationcof acylinder, a valve controllingthe admission and hexhaustof steam, a pitman, a rock shaft operativelvconnected with the pitman and disposedgparallel with, the plane ofmovementfthereof, and means for connecting the rock shaft with 4the valve.`

2'. Inan engine,the combination ofa, cylinder, avalve therefor,a rock shaft, means when@ are axis of the cylinder, a rock shaft disposed parallel with the axis of the cylinder and operatively connected with the first mentioned rockshaft, a pitman disposed parallel with the second rock shaft, and means for operatively connecting the pitman with t-he second rock shaft to rock the same.

3. In an engine, the combination of a cylinder, a valve therefor, a pitman, a cross head to which the pitman is connected,a floating shaft disposed along side the pitman, a connecting device slidably connected with the floating shaft and connected with the pitman in its longitudinal center line and at a. point inwardly from the cross head, and means between the floating shaft and valve for reciprocating the latter.

4. In an engine, the combination of a cylinder, a valve therefor, a pitman, a cross head to which the pitman is connected, a floating shaft. disposed along side the pitman, a connecting device slidably connected with the floating shaft and connected with the pitman in its longitudinal center line and at a point inwardly froln the connecting rod, a rock shaft` to which the floating shaft is rigidly connected, a bell crank lever connected with the rock shaft, and means between the bell crank leverand valve for reciprocating the latter.

5. In an engine, the combination of a cylinder, a` valve therefor, head to which the pitman is connected, a floating shaft disposed along side the pitman, a connecting device slidably connected with the floating shaft and connected with the pitman in its longitudinal center line and ata point inwardly from the cross head, ay rock shaft to whichthe floating shaft is rigidly connected, a bell crank lever connected with the rock shaft, and means between the bell crank lever and valve for reciprocating the latter, said means including a variable stroke reversing device.

6. In an engine, the combination of a cylinder, a valve therefor, a pitman, a shaft disposed at one side of the and parallel with the plane of movement of the pitman, means for supporting the shaft to bodily move in one direction, a device slidable on the shaft and-connected with the pitman to move the said shaft by the latter, Vand means between the shaft and valve for reciprocating the latter.

7. In an engine, the combination of a valve, a cross head, a pitman connected with the cross head, a pivot disposed in a longitudinal center line, of thefpitman and located at one side of the cross head, a device connected with the` pivot,y a floating shaft; to which the, device, is slidably connected, a rock shaft; disposed parallel with the first .mentioned Shaft, arms on the roekshaft for a pitman, a cross braved Q supporting the fioating shaft, and connecting means between the rock shaft and valve for reciprocating the latter.

8. In an engine, the combination of a valve, a cross head, a pitman connected with the cross head, a pivot disposed in a longitudinal center line of the pitman and located at one side of the cross head, a device connected with the pivot, a floating shaft to which the device is slidably connected, a rock shaft disposed parallel with the first mentioned shaft, arms on the rock shaft for supporting the floating shaft, an arm connected with the rock shaft, a link conirected with the last mentioned arm, a bell crank lever connected with the link, a longitudinally movable rod connected with the bell crank lever, and means connectingthe said rod with the valve for reciprocating the same.

9. In an engine, the combination of a valve, a cross head, a pitman connected with the cross head, a pivot disposed in a longitudinal center line of the pitman and located at one side of the cross head, a device connected with the pivot, a floating shaft to which the device is slidably connected, a rock shaft disposed parallel with the first mentioned shaft, arms on the rock shaft for supporting the floating shaft, an arm connected with the rock shaft, a link connected with the last-mentioned arm, a bell crank lever connected with the link, a longitudinally movable rod connected with the bell crank lever, a rock shaft, and means between the last mentioned rock shaft and valve for reciprocating the same.

10. In an engine, the combination of a valve rod, a rock shaft extending transversely to the rod, a connection between the shaft and rod, a rocker on the said shaft, an open link connected with the rocker, an actuating rod adjustably connected with the link, means for shifting the point of connection between the actuating rod and link, a pitman, a floating rod disposed parallel with the pitman, means for connecting the rod with the pitman to receive motion from the latter, and connecting means between the floating rod and bell crank lever.

l1. In an engine, the combination of a bed, a cylinder mounted thereon, a cross head, guides on the bed for the cross head, a piston rod and a pitman connected with the cross head, bearings on the bed, a rock shaft mounted on the bearing and disposed parallel with the plane in which the pitman moves, arms on the rock shaft, a floating shaft carried by the arms, a connecting device slidable on the iioating shaft, a pivotal connectionbetween the said device and pitman, a fluid controlling valve, and connecting means between the rock shaft and valve.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

e ROBERT EATON.

Witnesses F. H. DOUGHTY, C. E. BUoKMINsTER, J r. 

